We all know that our creativity is what allows us to come up with new ideas, methods, and solutions. It’s the lifeblood of innovation.
But, there are times when, no matter what, we just can’t find that spark of creativity. It just seems to have vanished. And without a muse, how are we supposed to accomplish anything?
I’ve had this happen to me more than once before, and each time I think I get a little better about dealing with it.
When I can’t find my creativity, the solution has been to just push forward and carry on anyway. However, when I do try to accomplish my goal, the results are usually less then stellar.
I have written blog posts that I kind of hate, produced presentations at work that were a bit stale, and left rooms that I was trying to reorganize worse off than when I started. It can be extremely disheartening. No one likes to fail at anything.
Even though I know that I am almost certainly not going to be producing my best work when I’m not feeling particularly creative, I still try to produce some work.
My reasoning is that when I push through my creative blocks, I still have something to show for it. And that’s enough to build on. When I come back to it a few hours or even days later, I might find that I hate what I’ve written or what I have put together, and that’s okay. Even if I scrap 90% of the work that I have done, there is still 10% that I don’t need to come up with. And that 10% might actually be very good.
If you’re looking at a blank screen and know you need to start writing, the best thing you can do is to start writing. Some seasoned authors even just say to start writing nothing but random words. I have never tried that before, but after reading some of what I’ve written when I am uninspired, it might as well have been random words.
If you are having a hard time providing quality work at the office, take a few minutes to collect your thoughts. Then, just push on with the knowledge that when it’s delivered it’s not going to look like what you are putting out now. Leave a little time before the deadline to go back and spruce it up, and that will give you the one last chance to dig deep into your creative well and find some awesomeness to throw at it.
The more you practice creativity, the more creative you become. The same goes for getting into a creative mindset. Soon you will find that a lack of creativity is only a temporary setback, and that you can quickly and easily find your way into your creative zone.
What are some of the strategies that you use when you just can’t seem to find any creativity left in you?
Ryan, I’m with you — just start creating. I learned a lot from Steven Pressfield’s books “The War of Art” and “Turning Pro” where he talks about this as being a professional vs. acting like an amateur. I might wish it was easier, but write on anyway. The other useful concept here for me is the “20 Mile March” idea — explained in this Jim Collin’s article. http://www.jimcollins.com/article_topics/articles/how-to-manage-through-chaos.html
The Muse shows up when we start working.
I had never heard of the 20 Mile March before, but it makes perfect sense. The one caveat I have is that sometimes, capturing your creativity when you have it can be a bit of a sprint. I’ve had a few moments when ideas are just pouring out, and it’s all I can do to capture them as quickly as possible. But in general, building a constant habit is what will get you to your goal.
Practice, Practice, Practice…eventually it gets easier. I struggled in this area but after trying enough suggestions and gained some experience, creativity got easier. Now I have a system which makes creativity feel automatic on most days. For writing:
Books – I have heard start writing the easiest chapter first.
Blog post – I use an outline much like a public speaking outline.
When I can’t think of a topic I always go to forums like Reddit or Quora and look at the table of contents in books for ideas.
These are great ideas, Kirby. I love the “writing the easiest chapter first” one because I think that can apply pretty much anywhere in life. If you start with the easier ones, you build momentum and let your mind get in the game.
Agreeing with everyone here. Keep going, even when it’s not coming to you. It seems the more I do this, the less that I deal with “block”. I used to go for a run when nothing was coming if still nothing would come to me.
Running works twofold, both to give you a break and to get your juices flowing (literally). Exercise is a great way to get your mind out of a rut.
Awesome post! For me, a good nights sleep, strong cup of coffee, & making myself sit down & get started usually does the trick 🙂
I think we like to pretend that sleep isn’t that important, but it really is critical in so many things that we do. Also agree with the coffee, sometimes the focus caffeine brings me allows me to just buckle down and break through the mental barriers I’ve created.